Door for freight-cars.



'WQQUEENAN &'C. FARWELL.

DOOR FOR FREIGHT, CARS..

APPLICATION FILED IIIA'R. 6, I9I6..

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. QUEENAN & C. FARWELL.

DOOR FOR FREI'GHT CARS.

APPLICATION FlLED MAR. 6, 1915.

LQ., Patented Jan. 1,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- QNSSQS @am l E? r @MM f4 MM W. QUEENAN & C. FARWEL..

DOOR FOR FREIGHT CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.6,1916.

1,252,026., Patented Jan. 1,1918'.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

nlulllllllr WILLIAM QUEENAN AND CHARLES FARWELL, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

DOOR FOR FREIGHT-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application filed March 6, 1916. Serial No. 82,420.

Tf) ali whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, IVILLIAM QUEENAN and CHARLES FARwELL, citizens of the United States, and residents of Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Doors for Freight-Cars, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of our specification.

Our invention relates more particularly to doors for freight cars, and has for its object the provision of a moisture or stormproof door, of such construction as to also adapt it for use as a grain door, or rather to adapt the car for the shipment of grain and the like, as well as other commodities.

The object of our invention is to provide a combination grain and storm-proof door which will constitute the main or outer door ofthe car, operable in the usual manner, and thereby obviate the necessity of employing the temporary or permanent inside grain doors at present in use when the car is used for the shipment of grain. The invention has for its object the provision of a door of the nature stated, which also comprises a loading or Ventilating door-section forming a part of the main door and independently operable; the door being adapted' for use in connection with the present type of freight cars whether of wooden or steel construction.

The purposes of our invention as above stated, and the advantages set forth, as well as those :inherent in the construction, will be more fully comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 illustrates our improved door in elevation; a portion of the side of a freight car being shown with the door in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view takenvon the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking downwardly.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View in perspective, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View in perspective,

taken on the line (5 0 ot' Fig. 1 looking iu the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view, taken on the ott-set line 7 7 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken onv the line 8 8 of Fig. 1 looking downwardly.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view, in perspective, taken on the line 9 9 ot' Fig. l looking in the direction ot the arrows.

In the particular exemplitieation ot' the invention, our improved combination grain and storm-proof door` is shown applied to a freight car of wood constrlu'tion, and comprises the door-proper or main portion 15, either ot' wood or other suitable material. The lnain door 15 is supported by the usual hangers 1G, 1G provided with rollers or other anti-friction members which engage with or roll on the track-bar 17 secured along the side of the car immediately above the dooropening.

The track-bar or member 17. in our particulayr exemplifiration. is illustrated in the nature ot' a Z-bar in cross-section, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3, so as to provide a depending portion or leg adapted to overlap the top ot' the door 15, see Figs. 1 and 3. and thereby provide a weather-proof construction at the t'op ofthe door.

The upper portion ot' the door at a point interlnediate of the hangers 16` 16 is shown provided with a steel or metallic plate 18, extending up under the door-rail or trackmember 17, see Figs. 1 and 3. Immediately below the plate 18, the main door 15 is provided with an opening which is closed by a ventilatingand loading door-smrtion 19. The loading door-section 19 is pivotally secured to the plate 18 by means ot' suitable hinges 20. The loading door or section 19, pret'- erably of steel plate, permits access to the car-interior when the main door l5 is in closed position, and also provides means for ventilating the ear. The door-section 19 is so hinged that it may beswung upwardly into open position, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, where it may be held by means of the latch-member 21 pvotally mounted on the latch-bracket 22, preferably secured above the door-rail 17. The latch-bracket 22 is formed so as to protrude from the side of the car, a distance connnensurate with the width ot' the door-rail 17. The bracket 22 is shown provided with the bayonet shaped lug or portion 23 adapted to receive and support the free end of latch 21, as shown in Fig. 3, when latch 21 is swung on its pivotal point into horizontal position; the free end of the latch extending beyond lug 23 so to overlap the upwardly swung loading door-section 19. The loading and ventilating door 19 is preferably made to overlap the opening in the Inain door 15, both at the sides and the bottom; while the upper end of the door-section 19 is made weatherproof by means of the metallic strip 24, secured to the rear side of the door-section 19. The vupper portion of the strip 24 is made to overlap the hinge-plate 18, see Fig. 3.

At points intermediate of the side hinges 20 and the sides of the door-section 19, we show the metallic hinge plate 18 provided with suitable water-shedding blocks 25, 25, see Fig. 1. These blocks protrude beyond the door-section 19, and prevent the water running down on the outer surface of plate 18 from entering the cracks or spaces at the upper ends of the sides of the door 19.

The sectional-door 19, which is made of sheet lnetal, is preferably reinforcedtransversely by means of the angle-iron 26, shown in dotted lines ,in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. It will be understood, of course, that other suitable metallic shapes for reinforcr ingfthe door, maybe employed.

The main door 15,' at points adjacentthe sides of the loading door-opening, ispreferably provided with the perpendicular reinforcing members 27, 27, shown in the nature of vangle-irons` more clearly shown in Fig. '7. These reinforcing members 27, 27 are secured tothe main door so as to have one leg of each angle disposed outwardly as shown, for the purpose of assisting in providing the nloisture-proof connection; the extended angle will prevent rain, sleet and snow, striking the side of the car at an acute angle, from forcing itsl way back of the lapping sides of the loading-door 19.

The loading-door 19 may be provided with one or more suitable handles, as shown, for example, at 28. f

Pivotally secured to the reinforcing members 27, 27 are latches 29, 29, see Figs. 1 and 7, preferably in the nature of hooks. These latches 29 are adapted to engage with the keepers 30, 3() secured to the lower or free end of the lmlding-door 19, see Fig. 1. The keepers 30, 3() are preferably of the Z-shape construction shown in Fig. 7, so as to adapt the free ends of the keepers to overlap the protruding portions of the reinforcing members 27 and permit latching engagement with the latch-members 29., 29,. i

T'he main door 15 is preferably provided with a number of horizontally disposed reinforcing members 31, shown in the nature of angle-irons, seel Figs. 1 and l,3. These members 31 not only reinforce the doorproper, but also reinforce and brace the vertically disposed members secured at the front and rear ends of the door and later described;-v The 'upper transversely disposed reinforcing member 31 is preferably secured to the lower ends of the perpendicular reinforcing members 27 by means of the brace blocks or members 32; the members 32 being shown in the nature of angle blocks so as to permit one leg of the angle to be bolted or otherwise secured to one leg of the perpendicular reinforcing members 27, while the other leg of each angle block 32 is bolted or otherwise secured to the horizontally disposed leg of the upper horizontal reinforcing member 31, as more clearly shown in Fig. 7.

The front end of the main door 15 is preferabl y provided with a reinforcing angle 33, extending from top to bottom, as shown to the left in Fig. 1, with one leg of the angle disposed at right angles to the door, as more clearly shown in Fig. 8. This reinforcing member 33 is shown secured to the horizontally disposed reinforcing members 31 by angle blocks 32, see Figs. 1 and 2, similar to the blocks employed for securing the reinforcing members 31 and 27 together as previously described.

The door-opening in the lnain door 15, for

.the Ventilating and loading door 19, is provided with thresholdy plate 34, shown in Fig. 3, for protecting the main door 15, especially when the latter is constructed of wood.

In order to lock the grain or loading door 19, we provide a vertically disposed locking bar 35, which is slidably mounted on the main door 15. This bar is held in proper position by suitable brackets or guides 36, the bar 35 being made to pass through suit? able slots in the horizontally disposed reinforcing bars or members 31, see Figs. 1 and 2 and 9. r1`heupper end of lock-bar 35, When in raised position, bears against a wedgeplate 37 secured to the grain-loading door 19, as shown in Fig. 1. The lock-bar 35 is maintained in raised or locking position by means of a lug or stop 38 secured to or formed on bar 35. The lug or stop 38 is supported by a seal-pin 39, which is removably held in place by means of a suitable bracket or U-shape keeper 40 secured to the main door 15 at a point intermediate of the guides 36 and 36a adjacent the lower end of the door 15, see Figs. 1 and 9.

As shown in Fig. 9,- after raising bar 35 and inserting seal-pin 39 in keeper 40, it becomes impossible to lower bar 35 because lug 38 abuts against pin 39; while removal of seal-pin 39, from beneath lug 38, would allow the bar 35 to drop' until lug 38 comes intoV engagement with the guide 36a. namely a distance suliicient to clear the loading door 19, rIhe lower end of bar 35 is shown bent outwardly at 35a so as to provide a suitable grasp for the manipulation of the bar.

`In order to maintain seal pin 39 in the keeper or bracket 40 and prevent it working out when the seal has not been applied, we

provide pin 39 with a lug 41, while the out-v wardly presented portion of the keeper 40 is'provided with a suitable slot 42 for the passage of lug 41. As is evident from the construction shown, in order to insert or withdraw the pin 39 from the keeper 40, it is necessary to aline the lug 41 on the pin 39 with the slot 42; and a slight downward turn of pin 39, after it is inserted in the keeper 40, will suiice to prevent the accidental removal of the pin. The pin 39 may be secured to the main door 15 by means of a suitable chain. The free end of the pin is shown provided with a slot 43 for the passage of the usual car seal or other suitable locking means.

The door-post, adjacent the front side or end of the door, is provided with a stop or engaging-member 44, shown in the nature of a Z-bar, in cross-section, extending the full height of the door-post or door-opening and secured thereto, so as to overlap the front end or side of the door 15 and also overlap the metallic reinforcing member 33 secured to the front end of the door, as very clearly shown in Fig. 8. As is evident from the construction shown and just described, a Water-proof and also grain-tight connection will be formed by reason of the overlapping portions.

The rear end or side of the door 15 is provided with a metallic plate of special construction, extending the full height of the door, as shown at 45; the plate being somewhat in the nature of a channel in 'crosssection, with one leg of the channel being made short and extending to the rear of the door and slightly removed therefrom so as to Provide a receiving space, as moreclearly shown in Fig. 2.

The door-post or car-frame, at the rear side of the door-opening, when formed of wood, is provided with a metallic plate 46 extending the full height of the door-post or rather of the door-openin the metallic plate being secured to the oor-post so as to provide an extended portion or lip presented toward the rear end of the door. This extended or protruding. portion is adapted to be engaged by or be overlapped by the short leg of the channel-member 45, as shown in Fig. 2. As is apparent from v this construction, when the door 15 is closed,

the channel-member 45, and the extended portion of the plate 46 will form a grain and water-tight connection at the rear end of the door.

While a freight car of wood construction has been chosen to illustrate the invention,

wherein the weather-proofing members are vseparately applied, it is evident that the proofing elements or members made integral with the respective parts of the door-posts and door to which they are shown secured, especially if the car is of steel construction; while the cross sectional configuration in certain instances may also be varied.

In order to reinforce the door-stop 44 against the impact of the closing door, we prefer to provide a number of reinforcin blocks or members 47 adapted to be secured to the car-side and the door-post at the front end of the door and slightly off-set so as to take against the outwardly presented portion of the door-stop 44, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2. The reinforcing members or blocks 47 will prevent the door-stop or post 44 from being bent or sprung backward when the door ,is forcibly closed.

We also show the joint-forming member or channel 45 provided with a suitable number of angle-shaped reinforcing members or blocks 48. These members 48 are secured on the member 45,-and to the rear end of the main door 15, by bolts or other suitable means,-so as to have one leg of each angleblock or reinforcing member 48 extend about or overlap the intermediate portion of the channel 45, which extends about the rear edge of the door, as more clearly shoW-n in Fig. 2, thus preventing channel or jointforming member 45 being bent away from the rear edge of the door and therefore out of overlapping relation with plate 46.

The bottom of the mainv door 15 is provided with a steel or metallic plate 49 extending full width 0f the door; the late 49 being bent inwardly beneath thev oor 15, with the free edge thereof bent or presented downwardly, as very clearly shown in Fig. 4. The reinforcing member 33, at the front end of the door, is preferably cut aWay at the lower end so as to permit the plate 49 to lie flush against the door; while the jointforming channel-member 45-has its lower end slightly olf-set, as shown at 45L` in Fig. 4, to permit it to overlap theplate 49.

Secured to the side sill of the car, or to the side of the under-frame of the car, is anangle-iron or beam 50, having one leg or portion presented upwardly and into close relation with the depending edge 49a of plate 49; while the other leg or portion of beam 50 is presented outwardly away from the car-side, see Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6. The beam or angle-iron 50 is secured to the side sill or car-underframe, but in an extended or separated relation thereto by means of suitable blocks 51, see Figs. 3 and 6; the beam or angle-iron 50 and the blocks 51 being shown secured to the side sill 52 of the carunderframe by means of suitable bolts 53.

The downwardly presented portion or leg of the o-set 49a of the plate 49, secured to the main door 15, depends on the inside or rather is overlapped by the upper part of the beam 50, as shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, and thus form a grain and water-tight jointV at the'bottom of the door, which also serves as a suitable guide for the lower end of the door 15.

The extension blocks 51 are preferably provided with rounded upper surfaces, as shown in Fig. 6, so as not to interfere with the proper discharge of grain; and the blocks 51 are also preferably provided with lugs 51a adjacent the lower' ends thereof, adapted to enter suitable holes in thev carrframe or car-side beneath the door-opening, for the purpose of preventing the blocks turning on the securing bolts 53.

The lower front end of the door is preferably provided with a suitable outside guidemember 54, see Figs. 1 and 3, bolted or otherwise properly secured to the plate 49, so as to depend or extend beyond the bottom of the door. rlhe lower end of member 54 is bent inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, to engage with, or come into close contact with, the angle-iron or beam 50, and thus prevent any inward movement of the lower end of the main door 15. The guide-member 54 will maintain a close Contact between the depending portion 49a of member 49 and the upper longitudinal edge of the beam or member 50.

At the rear end of the main door 15, instead of employing the extension blocks 51, as previously described, we-prefer to provide the extension casting 55, see Figs. 1 and 5, between the door-post or side of the car and the angle or beam 50, for the purpose of maintaining this end of the beam in proper extended relation with the car-side, as induced by the blocks or members 51. The casting 55 also serves the purpose of forming a grain-tight connection at the lower rear end of the door. The outer surface of the extension casting. 55 is provided with a rabbet or recess to receive the downwardly presented or depending portion or leg 49a of the member 49, as shown in Fig. 6. Mounted adjacent to the extension casting 55, namely adjacent the forward edge thereof, we prefer to employ an end iiller block or member 56, whose upper surface is preferably beveled as shown in Fig. 6, so as to properly shed the grain while it is being discharged.

p The memberor casting 55, at the rear end of main door 15, as well as the adjacent, end vof angle-iron or beam 50, are both provided with a notch or slot 57, shown in dotted lines 4in Fig. 5, adapted to receive the zigzag rib or extension 58, formed on the inner surface ortion 45? of plate 45 and adjacent thel ottom thereof, see Fig. 5. With this construction, when the main door )l5 is closed, the rib 58 will enter the slot 57 naaaoee and form a grain-tight pocket at the lower rear corner of the door.

At the front end of yangle or beam 50, we also provide an extension member or casting 55, see Fig. 6, which is suitably secured to the side ofthe car. The member or casting 55, like member 55, is grooved or rabbeted to receive the depending leg 49a of plate 49 secured to the bottom of the main door15. Mounted adjacent the casting 55, namely at a point beneath the door-opening, we prefer to provide a filler-block 56, having an upper beveled end, see Fig. 6, similar to the block 56 arranged at the rear end of angle or beam 50, and previously described.

As a means for fastening or sealing the door 15 in closed position, we provide a bifurcated bracket 59, riveted or otherwise secured to the reinforcing angle-member 33, disposed lengthwise of the front end of the door 15, see Figs. 1 and 8. The extended portions or lugs of the bracket 59 are provided with suitable registering openings adapted to receive the seal-pin 60. Secured to stop-member 44, at a point coincident with the pin-bracket 59, we provide a block or lug 61, shown in the nature of an angle, see Fig. 8. rlhe extended portion or leg of the block 61 is provided with a bracket 62, to which is pivotally secured a link 63, the free end whereof is provided with anv opening adapted to register with those in bifurcated bracket 59, when the link 63 is swung between the bifurcations of bracket 59, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. The registering openings in link 63 and bracket 59 are adapted 'o0 receive theseal-pin 60. rlhe sealpin is preferably secured at top by means of a chain 64 connected to block 61, see Fig. 1; and the lower part of pin is shown perforated to receive the usual seal.

The reinforcing member or plate l33, secured to the forward end of the door 15, at the point where pin-bracket 59 is attached, is preferably reinforced by the angle-plate or block 65.

rlhe main door 15 may be provided with a suitable number of grasps or handles 28, shown similar to those secured to the loading .door 19; and the door 15 may also be provided with a vertically disposed hanllllO dle 28a adjacent the front end of the door to .come beneath the horizontally disposed portion of the plate 49, see Fig. 1, and thus provide a grain-tight pocket when the door 15 is in roper closed position'.

1t wil be understood, ofcourse, that the invention may be varied in certain details, as, for example, different types of doorhangers may be employed without in any way interfering with the construction and operation of our invention; and furthermore, the invention may be readily adapted for use in connection with steel cars or cars constructed with steel frames; and the particular configuration orshape of certain reinforcing and joint-forming elements may be altered without, however, departing from the spirit of our invention.

What we claim is 1. A. door slidably mounted on the carside so as to have spaced relation therewith, the bottom of the door being provided with y a depending element, means secured to the car-side and extendin lengthwise beneath the door-opening and isposed upwardly in front of said depending element so as to effeet a moisture-proof connection, and correlated means at the sides of the door for inducing a self-sealing of the door when the latter is slid into closed position, the portion of Said last mentioned means secured to the rear end of the door and said rst means arranged to have interlocking relation when the door is closed.

2. In a door of the class described, the combination of a door slidably mounted on the car-side, an an ular stop-member secured adjacent the ont end of the dooropening and extending throughout the height of the door, said stop-member having a portion arranged parallel with the door and adapted to overlap the front end thereof, while the front end of the door is provided with an outwardly presented flange adapted to take against said portion of the stop-member when the door is closed, means secured to the car-side at the rear end of the door-opening, in spaced relation and parallel with the car-side, a plate secured to the rear end of the door having a portion disposed toward the front end of the door and parallel with the back of the door, arranged to overlap said means, a member mounted beneath the door-opening in spaced relation with the car-side, and a plate secured at the bottom end of the door and having a right angular portion adapted to extend rearward beneath the door and overlap said last mentioned member, said stop-member being provided with a portion adapted to extend beneath the angularly bent portion of said last mentioned plate while the plate secured to the rear end of the door and the member beneath the door-opening are provided with correlated surfaces adapted to interlock when the door is in closed position.

WILLIAM QUEENAN. CHARLES FARWELL. Witnesses:

JOHN ADAM, W. W. KOERFER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. C. 

